Gary Chapman
Contributor 

 

Messages litter the front of the brown brick building, located on Northport Drive and Homer Adams Parkway. They say things like “Thanks for All The Memories,” “#PeaceWoody’s” and “Thank you. 

The messages are a reminder that the Woody’s Chicken building is an echo of what it once was.

Woody’s closed Saturday, Aug. 31, after owners Christie and Candy Wooden, who took over from Jack and Cathy Wooden, wanted to retire, according to The Alton Telegraph.

Woody’s was a local institution, having locations in Godfrey, East Alton and Wood River. Eventually trickling down to the one location on Homer Adams in Alton.

Woody’s closed abruptly on Saturday, having only announced that they were closing on Thursday, Aug. 29.

“I didn’t know they were closing until the day of at work,” L&C Student Kyleigh Hallows said.

Various people online were feeling nostalgic and sad about the closure. The Telegraph interviewed people who visited the establishment on the last day it was open.

“This is a great family business. I hate to see it go,” said Aaron Blackford, a regular of the establishment, in a Telegraph interview.

 “This is one landmark that I’m going to hate to see go, because I remember when they use to be over where Schnuck’s and Hardee’s are in the old A-frame building,” Robert Cress, a Navy veteran and Kitchen Manager at Golden Corral said.

“Woody’s has been there for me, like an old friend to party with, or a shoulder to cry on,” said Billy Hurst, a Telegraph sports photographer.

The day of closing, the Woody’s Chicken Facebook page posted that they would be selling the business but not as they want to keep the recipe that made their business an Alton staple.